Current Clinical Issues|15 April 2003

Advancing the War on Malaria

Malaria is a microcosm of all the problems that exist in global health care, and combating it is no small job. It is the most common and deadly parasitic disease, and one of the top three killer diseases along with tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Every year, hundreds of millions of malaria infections occur and 3 million people die of the disease.

Malaria's weakening effect on a nation's workforce can be devastating, too. In endemic regions, personal income levels languish at a third less than in a similar-sized nation without malaria, and the gross national product can be reduced by up to 1.3%. The disease primarily affects people living under the poorest conditions, where a course of antimalarial drugs or even a $4 bed net costs too much.